INIA Treinta y Tres

Located in its head site are offices, laboratories, seed processing plant, administration, library and the regional director’s office. Besides, there are two Experiment Units belonging to this Regional Direction. "Paso de la Laguna" Experiment Unit, which is representative of the Lowlands Zone (Zona Baja), is dedicated to research in rice, including also in itself the “Rice-Livestock Production Unit” (UPAG).

"Palo a Pique" Experiment Unit (UEPP), is representative of the Rolling Uplands Zone, dedicated to research on: cow-calf and sheep livestock systems, pastures, and crops and livestock rotation systems.

INIA – Treinta y Tres Today

Besides having its headquarters located in the Department of Treinta y Tres, this Station extends its influence to the Departments of Rocha, Maldonado, Lavalleja and parts of Cerro Largo, covering an area of approximately a fourth of the national territory.Broadly, three zones are to be distinguished:

• High Upland or Hill Zone, with moderate to steep slopes, and a high proportion of shallow soils, is clearly an area for livestock. • Rolling Upland Zone, with more gentle slopes and deeper soils, it is also livestock country although it potentially allows for a conservationist mixed livestock and crops farming. • Lowland or Rice Plains Zone, so called because of its characteristic flat topography and for the typical crop farmed in these soils.

Most of the area is dedicated to extensive farming systems, with beef and wool as the most important products of this region. Rice, on its side, sown to less than 2% of the total regional area, accounts for nearly 30% of the Regional Gross Product.